There are several existing methods for splicing synthetic or coated wire rope. One method is to unweave and loosen the rope then re-weave the rope from separate bundles into a splice. This manual method is very labor-intensive, time-consuming, and expensive.
A second method for splicing wire rope is to add a chemical to the wire bundles to fuse them together along with a sleeve. The chemicals used during this process are also very expensive.
A third method which is an aspect of the present disclosure is to use a mechanical connector or compression sleeve to splice the wire rope. This method is also less expensive and less time-consuming than other methods.
Current systems for terminating synthetic rope often fall well short of matching the tensile strength of the rope using one splice. Conversely, metal wire rope terminating systems may often meet the tensile strength of the wire rope using one splice. To obtain a splice on a synthetic rope that meets the tensile strength of the synthetic rope, multiple splices must be used which results in increasing both material and labor costs. Existing systems employ splice sleeves that are simple oval shapes. Subsequent crimps on existing systems crush the ropes together into a tube.
Thus, there is a need for a crimp sleeve or connector which forms a mechanical connector for a splicing or crimping wire rope which overcomes the above-mentioned difficulties and others while providing better overall results.
There is also a need for an extruded sleeve that is trilobular; that is, a connector or sleeve which provides three channels for gripping rope. At one end of the splice can be a traditional eye splice and a thimble for attachment. At other opposite end of the connector is a simple, very tight loop. This is a result of feeding the rope through the third channel in the trilobular sleeve. The extra length of crimped rope in the third channel provides significantly greater holding force in the crimp. Basically the trilobular sleeve provides extra grip length. A thimble improves the holding capacity of the connector even further.
There is also a need for a trilobular sleeve having internal axial teeth or serrations and a rubberized plastic liner that acts as a grip between the sleeve and the wire rope.
There is also a need for crimp dies which have different profiles in each half. This allows crimping the trilobular sleeve in one direction instead of three separate directions to accommodate the trilobular profile of the sleeve.